Fastener forming and inserting machine



Aug. 28, 1951 J. G. WRIGHT ETAL FASTENER FORMING AND INSERTING'MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Sept. 8, 1947 3nnentors Gttorhegi Aug. 28, 1951 FASTENER FORMING AND INSERTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 8, 1947 J. G.WRIGHTETAL' r 2566,104

6 Sheets-Sheet 5 QM attornegs Aug. 28, 1951 J. G. WRIGHT ET AL FASTENER FORMING AND INSERTING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 W inventors 70 W i: KW

Filed Sept. 8, 1947 28, 1951 J. G. WRIGHT ETAL 2,566,104

FASTENER FORMING AND INSERTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 8, 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet s Gttotnegs A Bnventors %xfz:

Patented Aug. 28, 1951 FASTENER FORMING AND INSERTING MACHINE John G. Wright, James M. Chafin, Eugene Sudan, and Charles A. Watkins, Atlanta, and John A. Hanson, College Park, Gat, assignors to The Auto-Soler Company, a corporation of Georgia.

Application September 8, 1947, Serial No. 772,824

This invention relates to fastener forming and inserting machinesof the type in which fasteners are formed from a continuous length of wire or the like and inserted in material to be secured. lhe machine of the present invention isparticularly adapted for solingshoes'and has features in common with the machine disclosed in the copencling application of Wright et al., Ser. No. 595,776, filed May 25, 1945, issued August 29, 1950, as Patent No. 2,520,521. As in the case of the above copending application, the present machine may also be modified for use in woodworking operations, and differs over the machine disclosed inthe prior application in the incorporation of improved operating elements which provide substantial structural and operating advantages as described more in detailbelow.

" The present invention"isillustrated, with particular reference to the above mentioned imroved features, in the accompanying drawing, in

which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation, partly cut away, of a fastener forming and inserting machine constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a corresponding side elevation;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail'of the operating head and related elements;

Fig. 4 is a corresponding fragmentary detail; mainly in section, of the wire feed block members;

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail taken substantially on the line 5--5 of Fig. 3, and illustratingthe arrangement of the wire guide block;

Fig. 6 is an exaggerated plan detail oriented at the line 6--6 in Fig. 5 to illustrate the disposition of the wire guide block in relation to the fastener forming knife assembly;

Figs. 7a and 7b are front and right side elevations, respectively, of the type of fasteners formed according to the present invention;

Fig. 8 is a blown-apartassembly view of the trip lever included with the means for actuating the knife assembly;

Fig. 9 is a sectionaldetail of the assembled trip lever taken on the axis ,of the holding pin;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary front elevation of the operating head showing the trip lever, partly represented by broken lines, in operating position;

Fig. 11 is a corresponding detail showing the disposition of the trip lever upon dislodgement of the holding pin;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary side elevation, partly in section, of the operating head and supporting structure of the machine ShOWing thewire feed mechanism;

-11 Claims. (Cl. 164-40) em invention;

i Fig. 13 is a perspectiveviewfpartly insectionj of the wire feedlever arm assembly; Fig. 14 is a sectional detail in plan taken ub; stantially on the mounting axis of the lever ari nl assembly; I Fig. 15 is a fragmentary side elevation, partly in section, showing the lever arm assembly in a displaced position Fig. 16 is a blown-apart assembly view illustrating the manner of assembling the fastener forming knife assembly according to the present invention; e

Fig. 1'? is a sectional detail showing the manner of mounting the knife assembly on the operating head; K

Fig. 18 is a view showing the working face of the stationary blade member of a modified form ofknife assembly; I M Fig. 19 is a corresponding view of the working face of the matchinginovable blade member;

Fig. 20 is a top plan views; the movable blade member shown in Fig"; 19 oriented in relationto the stationary blade member shown in Fig. 18;

Fig. Zlis a front elevation of the assembled knife assembly in fastener inserting position, with the movable blade member indicated by brokenlines; j

,Fig. 22 is a detail of the type of fastener formed by, the modified knife assembly shown in Figs.

13to21; ,7 Fig. 23 is a fragmentary side elevation of the guide means provided for positioning material to be secured in relation to the machine of the press Fig. 24 is a plan detail, mainly in section, illuse trating the arrangement of the extending guide arm of the guide means shown in Fig. 23; Fig. 25 is a corresponding; detail showing the adjusting elements of theguide means positioned for varyingmthe disposition of the extending guide arm;and N I Fig. ,26 is a transverse sectional detail showing further the arrangement of the. adjusting. ele]: ments for the extending guide arm.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2 of the the fastener ,forming and inserting machine shown comprises ,a suitable frame structure. lull made up of a vertically extending base portion llii adapted to supportthe machine on a floor or similar surface andlan upper frame section Hi2 carried at the upper extending end of the base portion IOI. The upp r frame section H12 is arranged to support an operating head I03 and .an associated plunger mechanism I04 adapted for cyclic actuation of a knife assembly, indicated generally at 500, for fastener forming and fastener inserting operations as described more in detail below.

The plunger mechanism I04 comprises a plunger I05 carried in a crossarm I06 which is mounted to extend from an operating rod Il'supported for reciprocating movement by the upper frame section I02. The operating rod I01 extends downwardly to the base portion IOI for association with a connecting arm I08 which is actuated from a crank mechanism at I09 driven by a motor unit H0. The motor unit IIO may be equipped for operation with conventional electrical connections (not shown) arranged through a coriveniently disposed switch box as at I I I. 'A clutch mechanism H2 is interposed between the motor unit H0 and the crank mechanism I09, and is arranged for actuation from a foot pedal I I3. This arrangement is such that depression of the foot pedal I I3 results in actuation of the clutch mechanism I I2 toconnect th'motor unit I I0 for driving the crank mechanism I09 with consequent reciprocation of the operating rod I01 through connecting arm I08. "A'moto'r unit and related operating elements of the type just described above are also incorporated in the fastener forming and inserting machine disclosed inthe above identified copending application, and. reference is made to that application for further details.

[The upper frame section I02 also supports a wire mounting .reel II4 from which wire H5 (see Figs. 3 and 4) for forming fasteners is trained through a tubular guide I I6 to the operating head I03, and a lever arm assembly 500 arranged for actuation by the plungermechanism I04 for feeding the wire H5 from reel II4 to the operating support I H such as is disclosed in my above identified copending application; 7 r

The operating head I03, as shown more in detail'in Fig.3 of the drawing, is formed to accommodate vertical reciprocation of the plunger I05 at a generally central position, and to receive the wire II5 so that it is directed downwardl along one side tothe fastener formingknife assembly 600. Thewire I I5 is roeiv'ed'at the top of the operating head I03 from the tubular guide H6, and is directed from this point through wire feed blocks 200 and 20I. Feed block 200 is mounted in fixed relation on operating head I03, while feed block 20I is arranged for sliding movement in the operating head I03, this movable feed block 201 being actuated for feeding wire to the knife assembly 600 by the lever arm assembly 500 as I will be described presently.

Each of the feed blocks 200 and 20I are formed with passageways for the wire H5,- as indicated at 202 and 203, and have recesses 204 and 205 oriented on an axis inclined toward the axis of the passageways 202 and 203 in a direction opposite to the direction in which the wire H5 is fed, which recesses partially open into the passageways 202 and 203. Ball members 206 and 201 are yieldingly positioned in the recesses 204 and 205 by springs 208 and 209, which are held in place by set screws 2I0 and 2| I. Byvirtue of the partial opening of the recesses 204 and 205 into the wire passageways 202 and203, the ball members 206 and201 are positioned by the springs 208 'and'209 to extend'into. the passageways 202 ,1.ei;, e ie ie ii i .ei War a SE an 4 V 205, movement of feed block 20I inlthe direction in which the wire H5 is fed, or movement of the wire H5 in a reverse direction through the fixed feed block III, will cause the ball members 205 or 204 to roll in their respective recesses and grip the wire so that relative movement between thewire and the feed block is prevented while relative movement of the wire and feed blocks oppositely may take place freely. Accordingly, the wire I I5 is gripped by ball member 201 for feeding movement with the movable feed block 20I and by ball member 206 for preventing withdrawal through the stationary feed block 200. but is free for feeding movement through the stationary feed block 200 and is not disturbed by return movement of the movable feed block 20I.

A guide block 300 is arranged to direct the wire II5 from the feed blocks 200 and 20I to the fastener forming knife assembly 600. The guide block 300 is mounted on the operating head I03 in fixed relation to the knife assembly 600, and is characterized by a directing passageway 30I disposed to guide the wire I I5 to the knife assembly 600 which is slightly misaligned at the point of entrance to the knife assembly to impress a portion of the wire 5 of approximate fastener length with a cast during fastener forming operations so that the fasteners formed from the wire are conditioned for straight driving as explained further below. 7

The fastener forming knife assembly 600, which may be of the same general type disclosed in the above identified copending application, comprises a stationary blade member and a matched movable blade member 602 having complementary fastener forming shearing edges 603 and 604 (compare Fig. 16) adapted to cut wire diagonally to form a fastener point. The movable blade member 602 is formed adjacent the shearing edge 604 to provide a passageway 605, and the stationary blade member is recessed as at 606 adjacent the shearing edge 603 to complete the passageway 605 so that the assembled blade members are adapted to receive and position the Wire H5 in relation to the shearing edges 603 and 604 for fastener forming operations. The stationary blade member is also recessed at 601 to complete the passageway 605 in fastener forming position, reference being made to the above copending application for further details of the arrangement of the knife assembly'600 in this manner.

The wire I I5 directed from the passageway 30I in the guide block 300 is received by the knife assembly 600 adjacent the shearing edges 603 and 604 in the passageway 605 as completed by the recess 606 in fastener forming position (compare Fig. 5). The misalignment of the directing passageway 30I inguide block 300, which is exaggerated for purposes of illustration in Fig. 6, results from disposition of the passageway 30! at the point-of entrance to the knife assembly 600 with'a displacement both toward the movable blade member 602 and in a direction opposite to the direction of fastener forming movement of the movable blade member. It appears that in the usual case best results are obtained by equal displacement in both directions so that the directing passageway 30I of guide block 300 is misaligned with the passageway 605 and recess 506 in knife assembly 600 on a bias of 45, as indicated in Fig. 6. As mentioned above, this misalignment is slight, the displacement in either direction being only of the order of .010 inch, so that the wire I I5 is'still easily fed from the guide block 300 to the knife assembly 600. However,

s th di t asms hyifllisl a m dadian ent th n e sse l j flfl t ,fit'..t ir H5 snugly as indicated at 302, the misalignment of the directing passageway 30! will position the wire II 5 in the knife assembly 600 so that fastener forming action of the knife assembly will exert a bending force on a portion of the wire I I5 of approximate fastener len h extending from the uide block 300 to the shearing edges fi03 and 604, so that this portion of wire is impressed with a cast which appears in the fasteners formed from the wire to condition them for straight driv 1 I The nature. of the fastener formed in thismanner. isillustrated inFigs. 7a and 7b of. the drawin The fastener shown and identified by the reference numeral I I8 is formed with a .diago nally cut driving point H9 and a oorrespond; ingly reversely cut trailing point I20. Difficulty with straight drivingis inherently encountered with a fastener having a diagonally cut driving point of this sort because it is.offsetjfrom .the' longitudinal axis of the fastener body. and has a tendency to defiect inthie direction of offset during driving. As described in the above co-pend: ing application, this difficulty may be counter: acted by forming the knife assembly to displace the fastener point .I I9 to aposition substantially coincident with the longitudinal axis of the fastener, asindicated at. IZI; in Fig. 7b. Further improved results in this respect are obtained according to the present .inventionby placing the above noted cast in the fastener body I I8, as shownbest in Fig. 7b, so that the driving point I I Sand the trailing point I are aligned in the. path of the drivingforce applied to the fastener and theimbalance resulting from the diagonally cute is h cun ra te As previously mentioned the knife assembly 600 is actuated for fastener formin and fastener insertingpperations by the plunger mechanism [04. ;For this purpose, the plunger I05 isfitted withaeam block I22 (see Fig. 3). at its lower end disposed to displace a cam arm 600011 the mov ablebl m erg l z n each dow d s roke of theplunger I05. With'the knife assembly 60?) in fast r or i gpositiona s n n sdisplacement ofthe cam arm 608 by thecarn block I22 upon downward movement of the plungerI 05 results in shifting the movable blade member 602 to fastener inserting position (compare Fig. 10). Shifting of the movable blade member 502 in this manner effects cutting of the wire I I5 positionedin the knife assembly 000 to form a fastener, and transfer of the fastener formed for insertion by a driver I23 disposed on plunger I05 to penetrate the knife assemblyfill'l in fastener inserting position and drive the. fa e teners formed. 1 mReturn movement of the movable blade memher 002 to fastener forming position is effected.

during eachupward stroke of the plunger I05 through a trip lever (indicated generally in Fig. 3 at 400), which is pivotably mounted on theoperating head I03 to follow cam block I22 for actua tion of the return movement. The trip lever 400, the details of which appear best in Figs. 8 and 9; comprises a first body member 40I and a second body member 402 assembled on a pivot pin 403. The pivot pin 403 is formed with a portion 400, of enlarged diameter which serves as a means for pivotably mounting the trip 1ever'400 on the. operating head -I 03', and forms a shoulder against which the body members40l and 402. may .be

assembled. Each of the bod'yimembers'. 40 I' and:

4 2 arerfo m d-t ith a rtur 40 a 4. 1.

msdfon al m on he iv p th a rtn r 05. the r d m m 1" being chainfered as indicated at 40Ito allow clenching of the extending end of the pivot pin 403, which may be specially formed for this purpose asshownat 408, to fix the body. members 40] and 402m assembled relation on the pin403. ;.,J I he,.second body member 402 is. further formed with agenerally longitudinal recess 4 09 adapted'to receive a holding pin 4| 0 and a spring 4 I. .fory ieldingly positioning the holding pin 4I0 normally to ,extend fromtthe recess 409. The first body member 40I is shaped with an over: hanging portion 4I2 which extends in covering relation .with respect to the recess 409 and in whieh a recess 4I3 islocated to receive the hold ing pin 4 I0 for keying the body members 40I'and. lllzso that they will pivot as a unit. With the body members MI and 402 keyed. in this manner,

the first body-member 40I will follow the-camblock .1 22 ,upon upward movement of plunger I05; so that the second bodymember 402, which is fitted with a pin 4 I4 to contact the 'cam arm 608,

will-pivot to return the movable blade member 602 to fastener insertingposition. Under normal conditions the pressure' of spring All is adapted tohold the pin 4 I0 in recessl4l3 so that. thebody members 45M and 402 of trip lever 400 operateas axunit for this purpose. I In the event, however, that the knife assembly 600 jams in fastener inserting position because ofya faulty fastener or. for other reasons, the yieldingly. positioned arrangement of holding pin Mil-gallows the trip lever 400 to give duringthe upward stroke of plunger I05 so that damage to. the knife assembly 600 by forcing it from a; jammed position is avoided. Under such conditions the additional force required to move the knife assembly 600. from. the jammed position causes holding pin M0 to slip out of the recess 4l3. 5and allow the bcdy'member 4M and 402 tOfpiVOt'With respect to each other on the pivot pin 403. I I As a result, the plunger I05 is allowed topomplete its upward stroke with the knife assembly 600 remaining in fastener inserting position.(compare Figs. 10 and 11). After the condition causing jammin of the knife assembly 600.;is. repaired so that normal operation may be resumed, the trip lever 400 may readily be reset. toseat holding pin M0 in recess M3 for normal functioning. To facilitate seating and. release of the holding pin MD with respect to recess 4I3, the extending end of the holding pin 410 is tapered as shown at M5 and the recess 3 isfforrnedwvith a complementary configuration.

Feeding of the wire H5 to the knife assembly 000 for. fastener forming operations is also ac-I- tuatedby the plunger mechanism I04. Feeding movement. of the wire H5 i effected directly by the leverarm assembly 500, mentioned above, which ismounted on the upper frame section I'02fin1relation to a 'cam block I24 carried on thefcrossarm I06 of'plunger mechanism I04 (see Figs. 12 to 15, inclusive). The lever arm assembly 500 comprises a lever arm 50I pivotably extending to the movable feed block 20I for movement; to feed the Wire H5, and a body member. 502 pivoted on the extending portion of lever arm' 50I. and carrying a second cam block 503 for displacement by the camblock I24 on cross arm I06 to effect the-feeding movement. i

."Tl'ie manner-inwhich the lever arm 50I'and bo'dyrmember 502 are"assemb1ed and mounted on the upper framesection. IMfiSmIustratedZin;

greener Figs. 13 and '14. *"Tlie" pivotable mounting of leverar'm"-'50I" is *pro'vided by a shaftmember 504 which is supported transversely in the upper frame section I02 as shown'in Fig ul l, and the body member 502 is assembled with'the lever arm'50I on a pivot pin at 505. The body member' 502 is formed with an offset portion 506 dis posed to contain a spring 50'! in position to bear against the lever arm Bill (see Fig. 14), and place a turningmovement on the body member 502 about the pivot pm 505 in a counterclockwise direction as seen in Figs. 12 and 15. This turning movement is resisted by the contact of a positioning pin 500, carried by the body member 502, with a selector cam 509 mounted on shaft member 504. The selector cam 509 is formed with a series of stepped notches defined by angular faces having a low angle of inclination as disclosed in the above copending application, and the extending end of the positioning pin 508 is formed with two fiat faces so that it presents a pointed edge for seating in the stepped notches of the selector cam .509. The positioning pin 508 is held in place in the body member 502 by a 12, downward movement of crossarm I06 causes the lower end of cam block I24 to contact the top face of cam block 503, which forces the body member 502 downward with consequent feeding movement of the lever arm 50! pivotably on shaft member 504. This pivotin movement of the lever arm 55! results in translation of the cam block 503 to the left as seen in Fig. 12, so that its top face is shifted from beneath cam block I24; and when this happens feeding movement of the 'lever arm 50I is stopped, as the cam blo'ck I24 will merely slide down the side face ofcam block 500 during the remainder of the downward stroke of plunger mechanism I04 (compare Fig. 15). stroke of plunger mechanism I04, the lever arm assembly 500 is returned to initial position as soon as cam block I24 clears cam block 503 by a coil sprlngElZ arranged in the operating head I03 to urgethe movable feed block 20I upwardly. From the foregoing it will'be seen that the relative disposition of the top face of cam block 503 with respect to the lower end of cam block I24 determines the extent of the feeding movement or stroke of the lever arm EDI; and that by varying this relative disposition, the length of stroke, and consequently the length of wire II5 fed'to" knife assembly 600, may be adjusted in accordance with the'length of fastener desired. The selector cam 500 is provided to perform this function, the various stepped notches of the selector cam 509 determining by contact with positioning pin 500 a corresponding variety of pivoted positions for the body member 502 and cam block 503. A manipulating knob 5I2 may be conveniently arranged on the end of shaft member 504 extending beyond the selector cam 509 for adjustment of the point of contact with positioning pin 508, and suitable scale markings, as indicated at 5I3 in Figs. 3 and 14,'may be delineated on the manipulating knob 5I2 in relation to a pointedt'ip m on pivot pin 50's to provide an indication for selection 'of the res: ten'ei" length desired. l

The fastener forming "knife assembly 600, which requires the most delicate operating adjustment, and is perhaps the most vitaland the most easily damaged, of all the operating elements of the machine, is provided according to the present invention as an inseparable assembly arranged for mounting on and removal from the operating head I03 as a unit, so that the operating adjustment may be fixed at the time of assembly rather than at the time of mounting on the operating head, and the assembly may be easily removed and replaced in the operating head when repairs are needed, while at the same time preventin disassembly or tampering with th knife assembly by unskilled attendants.

For assembly in this manner, the stationary blade member GM and movable blade member 602 of knife assembly 600 are formed with apertures 609 and 6H) defining a pivot axis for the During the upward return movable blade member 602 with respect to stationary blade mamber GUI, and a pivot pin 6H is provided to extend through the apertures 609 and 6I0 to carry blade members Bill and 602 in assembled relation; The pivot pin 6II is formed with a fiange portion 6I2 about midway of its length which fixes its extending position through the aperture 609 in stationary blade member 60I, the other extending end of pin 6 serving as a dowel means for locating the knife assembly on operating head I03, as shown at M3 in Fig. 17. The aperture 6I0 in movable blade 602 is intersected by a transverse opening 6I4 adapted to receive a dowel pin 6I5, and the 'pivot pin 6II is formed with a corresponding transverse opening 616, so that the dowel pin 6I5 can be inserted to look the movable blade member 602 on pivot pin 5H in assembled position. When assembled in this manner the stationary and movable blade members 60I and 602 comprise an inseparable unit which is mounted on the operating head I03 in proper position by virtue of the locating function of the extending end of pivot pins 6H and 6I3, and fastened in place by screws 6I'I extended through the operating head I03 for engagement in tapped holes M8 in the stationary blade member Bill. The stationary blade member GUI is further formed with a flange portion 619 at itsupper rear edge which is arranged for seating in a notch formed in operating head I03, as shownin Fig. '17, to provide a further support for the stationary blade member Bill on the operating head.

In the modified form of knife assembly I00 illustrated in Figs. 18 to'2l, inclusive, of the drawing, the same type of inseparable assembly arrangement may be used, the modified feature in this case being the adaption of the knife assembly for forming a headed blunt type fastener as shown in Fig. 22. Figs. 18 and 19 show the working'faces" of the stationary blade member MI and movable blade member I02, respectively, as used in this blunt type knife assembly 100, and Fig. 20 is a top plan view of the movable blade member I02 positioned in relation to the stationary blade member NI. 7 For forming the blunt type of fastener, the movable blade member I02 is formed with a cylindrical projection I03 concentric with its pivot axis as defined by the aperture 104, and the stationary blade member 'IflI is formed with a complementary cylindrical recess which is likewise concentric with.

ithe aperture 105 defining the pivot. axis-in the blade member. The stationary blade member -'l0l is further formed with passageways l!- and 108 opening into the cylindrical recess 105 in fastener forming and fastener inserting positions on an axis normal to the axis of the recess I05. The movable blade member 102 is also formed with a passageway 109 positioned to extend entirely through the cylindrical projection 103 for alignment with the passageways [01 and 108 of the stationary blade member TM in fastener forming and fastener inserting positions.

Accordingly, with the knife assembly I00 -in fastener forming position, wire maybe fed through the passageway 101 in stationary blade member 10! to a depth in the passageway 109 of movable blade member I02 corresponding to the length of fastener desired, so that shifting of the movable blade member for fastener forming operations as described above will result in cutting of the wire through shearing action at the adjoining faces of the cylindrical projection 103 and recess I05 to form a blunt pointed fastener "H0 as shown inFig/22. To provide a headed configuration HI on the fastener H0, the opening of the passageway 109 at the surface of the cylindrical projection 103 is flared as at III which results in bending of the trailing end of the fasteners 110 incident to the shearing action that forms the fasteners. This bending forms an offset in a direction opposite to the direction of fastener forming movement of the movable blade member 102 to form the headed configuration H I illustrated in Fig. 22. Blunt type fasteners N0 of this type are particularly well adapted for use in woodworking operations where the material to be secured is easily penetrated and a fastener of increased holding power is desired.

The fastener forming and inserting machine of the present invention is also provided with an improved type of guide means 800, as previously mentioned, for positioning material to be secured in relation to the machine as shown in Figs. 23

to 26, inclusive of the drawing. The guide means 800 is of the same general type as disclosed in the above copending application, and in United States Patent 2,315,382, issued March 30, 1943, to Ajouelo et al. but incorporates an improved arrangement for adjustment of the guide means.

As described in the above noted prior application and patent, the guide means 000 comprises a bracket member 80! pivotably mounted on the upper frame structure I02 and adapted to assume several positions for guiding material on the work support H1 in relation to the operating head I03, or swing to a retracted position when not in use. The bracket member 80! which is adapted for functioning in this manner in accordance with the previous disclosures, is further arranged to carry an extending guide arm 1 802 for sliding movement in association with means for adjusting the extending disposition of the guide arm 802 and locking it in place when adjusted. The guide arm 802 is formed with beveled edges 803 to fit correspondingly undercut grooves 804 in the bracket member 80! which accommodate the guide arm 802 for sliding movement on the bracket member 80 l. The guide arm 802 is further formed with a toothed portion in the nature of a rack as shown most clearly at 805 in Fig. 23. A shaft member 806 is also car- 'ried by the bracket member Bill for sliding movement transversely with respect to the guide arm ".802, and shaft member 806 also has a toothed portion 80Tforming a pinion disposed for en- 75'1engthpf wirezthe combination with afastener ngagement with the rack portion805' on guidearm e802; A pawl member 808 is yieldingly positioned by a spring 800 in bracket member i for normally engaging the pinion 801 (see Fig, 23) to {lock it againstrotation, and consequently lock the guide arm 802 in a corresponding extended position. 5

:- To release the'pinionBO't for adjustment of the guidearm 802; the'shaft member 806 is fitted' with acarrr 810 adapted to displace the pawlmember 808-. As mentioned above, the shaft member 806 is carried for sliding movement in the bracket 801:; bearing portions 811 being journalled in'th'ebracket 80] so that the shaft member 0116 may rotate orslidetransversely as desired. -=A. pin 8l;2 isfitted in the bracket80-l between the bearing portions 8H'to prevent re- .moval' of the" shaft member 806 and provide a stop in inactive position as shown in. Fig. 24. The cam 810 is-ca-rrie-cl on the shaft member 806 adjacent; the pinion-801; andtakes the gen- :eral form of a"-collarcut away to form 'a flat face at 818 whichseats under the guide arm 802 .so that-rotation of the earn 810 with' shaft mem- "ber 806 is prevented; The cam 810 has a'beveled cam surface at BM'adapted to contact a similar'bevel8l5 on pawl member 808- anddisplace itwhen-the shaft member 806' is translated to adjusting position as shownin Fig; 25. Accordingly; byshifting the shaft member 806, .the extending guide arm 802 may be easily adjusted'or locked in position "as desired to facilitate fastener forming operations being carried out'onth'e machine: The" shaft member 806 is 'fitted with an'adjusting-knob8l6 at its extending end; w'hich'is preferably marked as indicated at" 8H to provide for gauging the adjusted position of'guide arm 802;

' The improved wire feeding mechanism and guide means of the presentinv'ention as described above are disclosed and claimed in our "divisional"applications Serial No. 208,221 and 'Serial No. 208,222. i Weclaim':

' 1. In" a fastener "forming and inserting mation to said shearing edgesf'o'r a guide block for directing wire to'saidknife assembly,said guide fblock beingadap'ted for mounting in fixed relamen withlr'es'p'e'ct to'said knife assembly and being characterized by a directing passageway disposed to guide said wire to the passageway of said knife assembly and slightly misaligned at the point of entrance to said knife assembly passageway both toward said movable blade member and in"a direction opposite to the direction of fastener forming movement of said movable bla'de member, whereby a portion of said :wire of approximate fastener length extending from said guide block to the shearingedges of said knife assemblyis impressed with a cast during fastener forming operations to condition fas- "teners formed from said wire for straight'driving. 2', 'In a fastener forming and inserting machine adapted'for forming fasteners from a continuous formingknife assembly comprising a stationary I blade member and --a matched movable blade member havingcomplementary shearing edges adapted to out said wire diagonally to form a fastener point, and beingformed adjacent said shearing edges to provide a passageway for receiving and positioning wire in relation to said shearing edges; of a guide block for directing wire site to-the direction of fastener forming move- '-ment of'said movable blade member, whereby a portion of said wire of approximate fastener length extending from said guide block to the shearing edges of said knife assembly is impressed with a cast during'fastener forming operations to condition fastenersfor'med from said '"wilre for straight driving. i 3. In" a fastenerfo'rniing and inserting machine adapted forforrning fasteners from a continuous length of wire and having an operating head and associated means for cyclic actuation offa'stener forming and fastener inserting operatioris: the combination'with a fastener forming knife assembly comprising a stationary blade 'merr'iber and a matched movable blade member, said stationary blade memberbeing adapted for "mounting on saidoperating head and said movable blade member being adapted for assembly with said stationary blade member for'movement -between fastener-forming and fastener inserting positions, and said blade memberhaving complementary shearingedges adapted to out said wire diagonally to'form a fastener point and bein formed adjacent said shearing edges'to provide a passageway for receiving and positioning wire in relation-to said shearing edges: of a guide block ada ted for mounting on said operating head in fixed relation to said knife assembly, said guide block being characterized by a directing passageway disposed to guide said wire to said knife assembly and fitting said wire snugly adjacent said knife assembly, and said directing passa eway being slightly misaligned with respect to the positioning passageway in said knife assembly both toward said movable blade mem- -ber and in a directionopposite to the direction of fastener forming movement of said movable blademember, whereby a portionof said wire of approximate fastener'length extendingfrom said guide block to the shearing edges of said knife 1 assembly is im ressed with a cast during fastener forming operations to condition fasteners formed from said wire for straight driving.

4'. In a fastener forming and inserting machine adapted for forming fasteners from a continuous length of wire of the type having a fastener forming knife assembly/and associated means for :cyclic actuation of said knife assembly between fastener forming and fastener inserting positions, a trip lever adapted for pivoted mounting to actuate return movement of said knife assembly from fastener inserting to fastener forming position comprising a first body member and a secnd body member, a pivot pin carrying said body :members in assembled relation for mounting to pivot as a unit or with respect to. each other, and

tayieldingly positioned holding pin associated with one of said body members and normally extending for seating in a recess formed in the other of said body members, whereby said body members are normally keyed for pivoting as a unitbut may be released for pivoting with respectto each other upon application of force sufiicient to dislodge said' yieldingly positioned holding pin from said recess.

5. The trip lever defined in claim 4 and further characterized in'thatthe extending end of said holding pin is tapered and the-recess in said other body member is :formed mentary configuration.

6. In a fastener forming and inserting machine adapted for forming fasteners from a continuous length of wire and having a fastener forming knife assembly andassociated means for cyclic actuation of said knife assembly between fastener forming and fastener inserting positions, a trip lever adapted forpivoted mounting as a cam follower for actuating return movement of said knife assembly from fastener inserting to fastener forming position, said trip'lever comprising a first body member and a second body member, a pivot pin carrying said body members in assembled relation for pivoting as acam follower unit or with respect-to eachother, and a yieldingly positioned holding pin associated with one of said body members and normally extending for seating in a recess formed inthe other of said body members, whereby said body members are normally keyed for pivoting as a cam follower unit but maybe released for pivoting with respect to each other and thereby assume an inactive position-uponapplication of force sufficient to dislodge said yieldingly positioned holding pin from said recess.- r.

-7. A fastener formin knife assembly comprising a stationary blade member and "a matched movable blade member, said blade members being formed with aligned apertures defining a pivot axis for saidmovable blade member with respect to said stationary blade member, a pivot pinextending through said apertures, said pivot pin having a fiange portionintermediate its length for abutting the exterior face of said stationary blade member. and thereby fixing the extended position of said pin through said stationary blade member to said movable blade member, and said 7 movable blade member being secured on said pivot pin in assembled relation with said stationary blade member, the portion of said pivot pin extending from said flange portion outwardly from thelexterior face of said stationary blade member serving as a dowel member for locating said knife assembly upon mounting of said stationary blade member.

8. In a fastener forming and inserting machine adapted for forming fasteners. from a continuous length of wire and having an operating head and associated means for cyclic actuation of fastener forming and fastener inserting operations, a fastener forming knife assembly comprising a stationary blade member adapted for mounting on said operating head, amatched movable blade member, said blade members being formed with apertures defining a pivot axis forsaid movable .blade member with respect to said stationary blade member, a pivot pin extending through said apertures and adapted as adowel means for 10- cating said knife assembly on said operating head, said pivot pin having a flange portion intermediate its length for abutting the exterior face of said stationary blade member and therewith a compleby lining we extended position of said pin through said stationary blade member to said movable blade member, and said movable blade member being secured on said pivot pin in assembled relation with said stationary blade memher.

9. A fastener forming knife assembly comprising a stationary blade member and a matched movable blade member assembled with said stationary blade member for relative pivoting movement, said movable blade member being formed with a cylindrical projection concentric with its axis of pivoting movement, and said stationary blade member being formed with a complementary cylindrical recess, a passageway formed in said stationary blade member and opening into said cylindrical recess on an axis normal to the axis of said recess, and a second passageway in the cylindrical projection on said movable blade member positioned for alignment with the passageway in said stationary blade member, said second passageway having a flared opening at the surface of said cylindrical projection, whereby the trailing ends of fasteners formed by said knife assembly have a headed conformation.

10. In a fastener forming and inserting machine adapted for forming fasteners from a continuous length of wire and inserting said fasteners in material to be secured, a fastener forming knife assembly comprising a stationary blade member and a matched movable blade member assembled with said stationary blade member for relative pivoting movement between fastener forming and fastener inserting positions, said movable blade member being formed with a cylindrical projection concentric with its axis of pivoting movement, and said stationary blade member being formed with a complementary cyindrical recess, a passageway formed in said stationary blade member for receiving wire fed to said knife assembly for fastener forming operations, said passageway opening into said cylindrical recess on an axis normal to the axis of said recess, and a second passageway in the cylindrical projection on said movable blade member disposed for alignment in fastener forming position with the passageway in said stationary blade member, said second passageway having a flared opening at the surface of said cylindrical projection whereby the trailing end of fasteners formed by said knife assembly have a headed conformation.

11. A fastener forming knife assembly comprising a stationary blade member and a matched movable blade member, said blade members being formed with aligned apertures defining a pivot axis for said movable blade member with respect to said stationary blade member, a pivot pin ex-- tending through said apertures, said pivot pin having a flange portion intermediate its length for abutting the exterior face of said stationary blade member and thereby fixing the extending position of said pin through said stationary blade to said movable blade member, said movable blade member being secured on said pivot pin in assembled relation with said stationary blade member, said movable blade member being furr ther formed with a cylindrical projection concentric with its pivot axis, and said stationary blade member having a complementary cylindrical recess, a passageway formed in said stationary blade member and opening into said cylindrical recess on an axis normal to the axis of said recess, and a second passageway in the cylindrical projection on said movable blade member positioned for alignment with the passageway in said stationary blade member, said second passageway having a flared opening at the surface of said cylindrical projection, whereby the trailing ends of fasteners formed by said knife assembly have a headed conformation.

JOHN G. WRIGHT. JAMES M. CHAFIN. EUGENE SUDAN. CHARLES A. WATKINS. JOHN H. HANSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 649,850 Levalley May 15, 1900 669,023 Sasgrain Feb. 26, 1901 812,452 Richard Feb. 13. 1906 905,600 Sonneborn Dec. 1, 1908 1,165,159 Dunner Dec. 21, 1915 1,388,846 Brock Aug. 30, 1921 1,497,676 Fink June 17, 1924 1,824,958 Jones Sept. 29, 1931 1,886,628 Blair et al Nov. 8, 1932 1,896,661 Breece Feb. 7, 1933 2,049,240 Ajouelo et a1 July 28, 1936 2,240,429 Watkins et a1 Apr. 29, 1941 2,315,382

Ajouelo et al Mar. 30, 1943 

